This is an extremely long post but I feel compelled to state the facts because there is so much lying and innuendo, so I feel the need to set the record straight.

I am shocked by the negativity I have read from many of you who don't know the real facts so here they are and I just ask that you look at them before you pass judgment.

I have never had 150 or 200 chickens. That is a bold faced lie that the city used to exploit the case. I have 50 chickens, 50 quail which are in a battery cage (stacked up so they take up a 3" x 4" square of space and that's was specifically designed by scientists in conjunction with Georgia Quail Farms, Clemson University and Texas A & M University to house over 100 quail but I only have 50. I also have some little partridges (no pear trees) and 50 button quail.

The 50 button quail are the size of cigarette lighters and live in aquariums in the house. They claim I have 200 chickens because they conveniently consider all birds the same. They claimed I have 200 birds for sensationalism and to turn the community that has steadfastly supported me into thinking I was some kind of nut with 200 chickens running all over my secluded one acre yard which isn't the truth. Here is a link that shows my neighbors who support me and my victory against the city in court in May. Ever since then, the city has had a vendetta against me.

The pigs are miniature Vietnamese pot bellied pigs and are about the size of a medium size dog. They are just like little fat beagles and have a beautiful 4" x 8" house they live in complete with a thermostatically lheater for when it is cold. All of my neighbors have supported me in the past until last month when one neighbor stated he doesn't like the roosters but has no problems other than that. He should have checked the zoning laws before he purchased his house, because I have been here for 13 years and my animals have always been legal as Roswell was orginally a farming community in the past.

I VOLUNTARILY, am regularly inspect by The Georgia Poultry Lab Network, under contract to both The State Department of Agriculture, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA/NPIP CERTIFICATE #1097 GA) and am one of only 1100 chicken owners in the largest chicken producing state in the nation who can say that. I have been inspected by the Fulton County animal control and I always pass with flying colors. As a matter of fact, I teach classes at other local forward thinking cities, on "responsible chicken ownership in the city" and all too frequently voluntarily testify as an "expert witness" free of charge to other people fighting to keep their backyard chickens.

1) I did pay a ticket 7 DAYS LATE, yet was never was informed when I went to pay the fine, that my license had been suspended. It shows on the police computers, that I had paid the fine and my license was in a "reinstatable status". Under normal circumstances, officers usually write a citation and require you to bring your renewed license to court, where they usually dismiss the case.

2) My insurance technically lapsed but by GA law, the insurance companies give you a 30 day grace period to renew it. I was at all times fully insured and my car has current insurance.

3) The only thing I did wrong was to fight for my legal rights, and to have a burned out tail light.

4) The city let criminals with past records out of jail on just their signature yet held me for three hours until 1 AM, before they would let me even make a phone call.

5) They told me my bond (not bail) required $6500 in cash. In SERIOUS criminal cases they will always allow CRIMINALS or their families to pledge the deed to there property to make sure they appear in court. I am regularly in our city hall on business so there was no reason to doubt I would show up in court with my reinstated driver's license in my hand.

6) I am well known and respected in the community and it was just a vindictive move or there wouldn't have had three police cars sitting on the side of the road, waiting for me to drive by when there are only two patrol cars assigned to this entire 20 square mile area of the city on any other Monday evening.

7) For years I have donated or purchased and provided fertile eggs for all of the local school systems so they could teach the cyle of life to school children since most of their budgets no longer allowed them to purchase eggs.

Now the local newspaper who originally reported they has inside information that my arrest was pre arranged has removed that article from their website, I assume fearing retribution from the local police chief and The City of Roswell.

This is where the article was posted but it is now a blank page. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

The Roswell chicken saga has been festering for months, with Roswell's very own "chicken man," Andrew Wordes, at the epicenter of the dispute. Wordes, a Roswell resident, has a backyard full of chickens that he keeps as household pets. Roswell has tried to enforce an old ordinance on the books to get rid of them. So Wordes hired former Gov. Roy Barnes to fight it.

But now he needs another lawyer to keep him out of the "coop" himself. Wordes got arrested by Roswell cops shortly after Monday night's meeting for allegedly operating a raffle without a permit, driving with a suspended license and letting his car insurance lapse.

Wood arranged for Wordes bail and subsequent release from the Roswell jail early Tuesday morning, by putting up the deed to his estate as collateral. "I did it as a friend, not as his lawyer," Wood said.

Sources inside city hall said the RPD knew about Wordes suspended license prior to the council meeting. "Chief Williams told the beat cops on duty to pull him [Wordes] over if they saw him driving out of the parking lot," one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told The Beacon. "Williams said he was aware of the mayor's support of Wordes, but he said that didn't entitle him to special treatment."

According to reports, Roswell Judge Maurice Hilliard set Wordes' bond at $6,500 cash, which caused him to spend the night in the "Roswell Hilton," otherwise known as the city jail. Hilliard refused to take Wordes' property deed as bail collateral, forcing Wood to get involved the next morning.

This is quote from our weasel of a councilmanwho changed his position in front of all of us and stabbed us in the back after having had the city spend 6 months drafting a new ordinance that he then totally disregarded and they rewrote in twenty minutes.

Here is a link to the ethics of Councilman Rich Dippilito posted months ago but not by me or anyone I know

Councilman Rich Dippolito, who introduced the new regulations, had the final word on the issue, saying he was in favor of people raising chickens, so long as they were responsible.

I like the idea of supporting urban agriculture in Roswell. That is something that is coming forward throughout the country and it is something that we have to address, he said. The intent is not to have a chicken farm on someones property.Please look at my face book page and you will see how well my chickens are cared for and learn about me before you criticize me without knowing the facts.

Here is a link to a prior article about the case and a quote from my next door neighbor, who with his family has been one of my strongest supporters!

Chicken supporter Clint Crowe said the final verdict was validation for what Wordes had gone through. Were ecstatic, said Crowe

If after reading this you feel compelled to speak out, here is how to contact the city council. Please ask the city council what happened to my Constitutional Rights and what happened to grandfathering me in which is what we had been at the council meeting to discuss. Here are their emails and feel free to send it and post it everywhere you know and encourage others to do the same. BTW Lori Henry and Dr. Betty Price voted against the ordinance.

One of the main reasons I put everything I owned in the world at risk to fight this battle was to honor my mother who recently passed away and who had purchased me my first chicks for me at the age of 10. As she was dying, each time I went to visit her, she always asked me if I have any baby chicks I could bring to Florida to visit and cheer her up.

Mom, I love and miss you every day but I know you are looking down on me and proud of me for standing up for myself like you always taught us to do.

I leave you with a few famous quotes from Gen George Patton Jr. who is one of America's best known heroes.
Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.

Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.

Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory.

Oh that just makes my day. I am so happy for you and I am even happier that you took the time and effort to follow through with this. You have some important people backing you and I wish all the poultry people could have help like that when they are challenged.
You have set a wonderful precident for all of us and I am sure there will be those who ask for advice.
I love the links and you can be sure that they are going to get alot of mail and I will enjoy being one of them.

Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same.

Uh, I see all of these congratulations but...doesn't he have to get rid of most of his birds????

Ed

Edited by Intheswamp - 12/20/09 at 7:18am

Job 27:3-6All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Job 27:3-6All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.